The present invention relates generally to closed IV line draw systems for use with a peripheral intravascular catheter (“PIVC”) or other vascular access device to collect blood.
A PIVC is a catheter that is used to provide access to a patient's vasculature. A PIVC is placed into a peripheral vein in order to administer medication or fluid, or to draw blood. The PIVC is introduced into the vein using a needle which is subsequently removed while the cannula of the PIVC remains in the vein to provide access. The catheter is then commonly taped to the patient's skin. PIVCs are generally believed to be the most commonly used means for vascular access in medicine.
An example of a PIVC is shown as element 300 in FIG. 3. As stated above, a PIVC is commonly used to draw blood from a patient such as when the patient has been admitted to a hospital. In typical usage, when a PIVC is used to draw blood from the patient, various different components and steps are required.
First, in order to ensure that the blood drawn through the PIVC represents an appropriate sample and does not contain contaminants, a syringe containing saline is attached to the PIVC (e.g. via connector 302 of the system 300 shown in FIG. 3) to flush the system. The saline is injected into the PIVC where it mixes with any fluids (including blood) or medications that may be present in the PIVC.
Second, a mixture of the saline and blood (known as a discard sample) is removed from the system. This step can be performed using a syringe or a vacuum sealed blood tube. The syringe or vacuum sealed blood tube sucks the discard sample from the PIVC so that only fresh blood remains within the PIVC.
Third, one or more blood draw samples are collected (e.g. using an access device and/or a vacuum sealed blood tube). For example, one or more vacuum sealed blood tubes are commonly attached to the PIVC. While attached, the vacuum present in the tubes causes blood to flow from the PIVC and into the tubes.
Fourth, in some cases, a small blood sample for point-of-care (“POC”) testing is collected. POC testing refers to tests that are performed at or near the site of patient care. For example, the technician that obtains the POC sample can test the sample within the room in which the patient is located. POC testing allows many tests to be performed immediately to thereby provide quick results to the patient or health care professional. POC testing is often used to provide blood glucose readings, blood gas and electrolyte analysis, rapid coagulation testing, drug abuse screenings, and other tests where immediate results are desirable.
With each of these steps, a different device may be connected to and disconnected from the PIVC. For example, in typical approaches, three connections to/disconnections from the PIVC are made during the blood collection process. Attaching and removing these devices to the PIVC can make the blood collection process cumbersome. For example, to perform a blood draw in such cases, the technician must be provided with the multiple devices, must unwrap and connect each device, and then disconnect and dispose of each device. Also, each time the technician connects or disconnects a device from the PIVC, there is an increased possibility that the technician will be exposed to the patient's blood (e.g. via needle sticks). Additionally, each time a device is removed from the PIVC, the PIVC becomes an opened system thereby increasing the possibility of contamination. Accordingly, current approaches for drawing blood using a PIVC require a substantial amount of time and create an enhanced risk for contamination.